Dave_Trabert (Dave Trabert)

Comment history

The Lawrence school district had $5 million in operating reserves at the end of the 2005 school year. They finished last year with $25 million. The $20 million increase represents aid received but not spent over the period. http://www.kansasopengov.org/kog/data...

FYI, there is no such entity as KCEG. They aren't registered with the Sec. of State or the IRS. They admitted to Bob Weeks that Goossen et al are really employees of Kansas Action for Children and KCEG is not a non-profit as they hold themselves out to be. https://wichitaliberty.org/kansas-gov...

LJW and other media know this but continue to provide cover for them. Imagine their rightful outrage if they learned that KPI wasn't really a non-profit.

Oh, and they also know and refuse to report that Duane Goossen was cited by the Securities and Exchange Commission for securities fraud activities during his time as state budget director... https://wichitaliberty.org/kansas-gov...

Goossen might answer questions in a safe space but he's afraid to have a public debate where someone like me can hold him accountable.

It's illuminating that the LJW editorial board would offer praise for special interests proposing a $billion dollar tax increase to give more money to the coalition members, especially since they are wrong about it being the first plan presented to resolve the budget issue. Kansas Policy Institute and others have been advocating for reduction in wasteful spending for years as a way to balance the budget, and the only reason it's not been is simple politics. Even many self-identified conservatives were unwilling to tackle the cost of government...not because it couldn't be done, but because they feared the backlash from media, government and those who profit from excess spending.

Efficiency studies and other data clearly demonstrate that Kansas spends too much. In 2015, the National Association of State Budget Officers show that Kansas budgeted to spend 34% more per-resident than the states without an income tax. Every state provides the same basic services but those that choose to do so at better prices are able to have lower taxes. http://bit.ly/2fkoCTS

Former Indiana governor and president of Purdue University said it best: “This place was not built to be efficient. [But] you're not going to find many places where you just take a cleaver and hack off a big piece of fat. Just like a cow, it's marbled through the whole enterprise." He was speaking of Purdue but his explanation fits all forms of government.

The proposal would raise income taxes by 40% on everyone earning more than $40,000. The group says their plan would give relief to low income people with a small reduction in the sales tax on food but they take that all back with an 11 cents per gallon increase in gasoline taxes. A family spending $125 per week on food would save $98 per year, but they would pay $99 per year in extra gas tax if they drove 18,000 at 20 miles per gallon. And if they had two cars, they would lose even more even if each car only was driven 12,000 miles.

And why does LJW continue to refer to the Kansas Center for Economic Growth, knowing that they don't legally exist? They are not the independent non-profit they hold themselves out to be, but are merely employees of Kansas Action for Children. It was proven that KCEG isn't registered with the Sec. of State or the IRS. They admitted as much to Bob Weeks http://bit.ly/2gxHK0k

Media is also aware that Duane Goossen was named by the Securities and Exchange Commission for securities fraud for things he did while State Budget Director, but media continues to sweep that under the rug http://bit.ly/2hjXcfm

Why can't media be honest? One can only imagine the (rightful) media outrage if it was discovered that a conservative entity wasn't the non-profit it claimed to be. Those that push for higher taxes and more government get a pass…and praise for pushing an unnecessary $billion tax increase on citizens.

This is another made-up story by media. There was a proposed $45 million cut in 2015...Governor said he would do it unless the Legislature found other ways to balance the budget...and they did. The $45 million cut never occurred. Not that the LA Times let that get in the way. And now LJ World is perpetuating the myth.

This is just the tip of the iceberg we've been talking about for years. Agencies are charged above-market prices for rent, telephone costs and other items. KPI gets a better price on copies from Office Depot than agencies are charged and we have very little volume.

Outsourcing these functions is just one example of how the State can operate more efficiently to avoid tax increases or service cuts.